Senator wants to put medical malpractice suit limits up to a vote of the people
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Senator wants to put medical malpractice suit limits up to a vote of the people

Date: February 11, 2013
By: Brendan Cullerton
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SJR1

Intro: 
If a state senator gets his way, you could be the one to decide if there should be a limit on certain medical lawsuits.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Republican Senator Brad Lager proposed a measure that would let voters grant lawmakers the authority to put limits on quality of life damages for medical lawsuits in a hearing.

The state Supreme Court ruled these caps unconstitutional last year, but multiple state lawmakers have sponsored bills to restore the caps.

Lager says putting the issue on the ballot is the right way to decide.

Actuality:  LAGER3.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "We have to decide whether or not we can do this and have a clear understanding, and the only way to do that is with a vote of the people."

A representative for state attorneys says this would give lawmakers power to put caps on damages for non-medical issues. 

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

Intro: 
As special interests are divided over the issue of medical malpractice suits, one state senator brought the idea of letting Missouri voters decide on the issue in a hearing.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Last year, the state Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to put a cap on "quality of life" damages that victims of medical malpractice could receive.

Multiple senators have sponsored bills to reverse that decision, but Republican Senator Brad Lager's ballot issue would let voters decide if lawmakers even have that authority.

A representative for state attorneys says these damages cover things that medical bills cannot.

Actuality:  BOLLSACK.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "The rest of their life when little kids point at that person, or a woman can't get married because she's hideously disfigured. That's noneconomic damages."

The earliest the issue could be on the ballot is November of 2014.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.